What changed
0 fixes2 additions3 changes0 removals
- Gameplay
- Balance
- UI and audio
- Events
addedOur Origin StoryAs gamers, we grew up playing some amazing games, and experienced stories that impacted us on so many levels. We played, and continue to play, games with very little barriers, nothing to restrict us from trying something new or revisiting the classics
addedOur Origin StoryThis got us thinking about what if; what if we couldn’t play these games? Gaming for many (ourselves included) is a chance to escape and to lose ourselves in something outside of our own lives. They can be a chance to catch up with friends and to make new ones. To not have the leisure of having such experiences, because of a game’s inaccessibility, seemed unfair to us. Yet to this day this is still the case for so many.
changedWhere It All StartedMy first real exposure to accessibility was by hearing about the game accessibility conference (GAconf) during an audio event at GDC. This planted the seed that I believe was what started our journey. After attending the GAconf I quickly discovered that lots of great work were being done, from the accessibility of Last of Us Part two, the various guidelines and programmes available from the amazing team at Xbox, to those sharing their insights on the work that still needs to be done.
changedLinksFor those curious about the events and findings discussed in this post, here are several handy links:
changedLinksGAconf’s website - Select the archive tab to view all previous talks at the event.
Stories of Blossom changes
addedAs gamers, we grew up playing some amazing games, and experienced stories that impacted us on so many levels. We played, and continue to play, games with very little barriers, nothing to restrict us from trying something new or revisiting the classics
addedThis got us thinking about what if; what if we couldn’t play these games? Gaming for many (ourselves included) is a chance to escape and to lose ourselves in something outside of our own lives. They can be a chance to catch up with friends and to make new ones. To not have the leisure of having such experiences, because of a game’s inaccessibility, seemed unfair to us. Yet to this day this is still the case for so many.
changedMy first real exposure to accessibility was by hearing about the game accessibility conference (GAconf) during an audio event at GDC. This planted the seed that I believe was what started our journey. After attending the GAconf I quickly discovered that lots of great work were being done, from the accessibility of Last of Us Part two, the various guidelines and programmes available from the amazing team at Xbox, to those sharing their insights on the work that still needs to be done.
changedFor those curious about the events and findings discussed in this post, here are several handy links:
changedGAconf’s website - Select the archive tab to view all previous talks at the event.
We hope this post finds you well!
Like all good stories, it’s best to start from the beginning, and for us, at Soft Leaf it starts with what inspired us to make accessible games.
Our Origin Story
As gamers, we grew up playing some amazing games, and experienced stories that impacted us on so many levels. We played, and continue to play, games with very little barriers, nothing to restrict us from trying something new or revisiting the classics
This got us thinking about what if; what if we couldn’t play these games? Gaming for many (ourselves included) is a chance to escape and to lose ourselves in something outside of our own lives. They can be a chance to catch up with friends and to make new ones. To not have the leisure of having such experiences, because of a game’s inaccessibility, seemed unfair to us. Yet to this day this is still the case for so many.
Where It All Started
My first real exposure to accessibility was by hearing about the game accessibility conference (GAconf) during an audio event at GDC. This planted the seed that I believe was what started our journey. After attending the GAconf I quickly discovered that lots of great work were being done, from the accessibility of Last of Us Part two, the various guidelines and programmes available from the amazing team at Xbox, to those sharing their insights on the work that still needs to be done.
But what stuck with me the most was how welcoming and kind the community was to each other. Everyone had this common interest in improving accessibility in the games industry. And it felt like home.
We feel honoured to be welcomed into this community and we can only hope that through the work we are doing we can help push the industry in the right direction of making games accessible for everyone.
Until next time,
Conor
Links
For those curious about the events and findings discussed in this post, here are several handy links:
GAconf’s website - Select the archive tab to view all previous talks at the event.
The Accessibility in Last of Us Part II: A 3 Year Journey - A recorded talk from GAconf on YouTube.
Xbox Accessibility resources - We have found these extremely useful for our game’s development.
